Sewing-machine attachment



De'c- 1930. R. J. SAILER 1,734,614

SBWI NG MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 ii -gDec. 9, 1930. R. J. SAILER 1,734,614

' SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwumtozB d/ az'ler Patented Dec. 9, 19 30 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE RUDOLPHJ. SAILER,; or TOWNLEY, nnwannsny, ASSIGNOR To THE SINGER MANU-FAGTURING COMPANY, or ELIZABETH, new JnasEY, A CORPORATION on NEW JERSEYI SEWING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT i Application filedAugust 13,1929.Sei'ialNo. 385,553.

This invention relates to improvements in work-guiding attachments forsewing machines and has for its object to facilitate handling of thework in the operation of in serting an endless elastic-cord within anedge-fold of a circular article, such a tirecover, etc., during theoperation of forming and stitching said edge-fold.

In a commercial embodiment of the invention, the work-guiding attachmentcomprises a supporting bracket provided with a turndown edge foldingscroll and a body-material supporting apron having a fold-defining edgeextending within said scroll. Disposed below said apron is a cord-guidehaving separable jaws, including a fixed jaw secured upon the supportingbracket and a movable jaw hinged upon said bracket to overlie the fixedjaw. These jaws are formed, in the direction of the line ofseam-formation, with complemental cord-guiding grooves whichin theclosed position of the jaws together define a cord-pasageway of such adepth thatthe jaws frictionally bear upon an elastic-cord passedtherebetween, thereby tensicning-the elastic-cord. The movable jaw isyieldingly urged into open position, but is normally held in closedposition by meansmanually controllable during the operation of themachine to permit the jaws to assume their open position.

In arranging the work prior to a stitching operation, thecord-tensioning jaws are permitted to occupy their open position so thatthe endless cord may be laterally introduced between said aws. The bodymaterial is inserted in the edge-folding scroll and the folded edge thusformed, together with the cord embraced by the edge-fold, is clampedunder the sewing machine presser-foot. The jaws are now closed to retardthe passage of the cord as the stitching operation is begun. As thestitching of the circular body material proceeds toward completion, thestitches initially formed approach the cord gripping' jaws, whereuponthe latter may be manually opened during the stitching operation, thecord removed laterally from the jaws and,

the stitching of the edge-fold completed.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front side elevation of thepresent attachment and of a portion of a sewing machine to which it hasbeen applied. Fig. 2 is a top plan view'of the same. Fig. 3is aperspective of the complete attachment, with superposed parts thereof indetached relationship.

Figxt' comprlses separate perspective "views of the cord-tensionlng aws.

enlarged section of the work.

Referring to the drawings, a sewing machineto which the presentimprovement has been applied comprises a cloth-plate 1 having'a frontdepending apron 2 and supportin'gfthe usual slide plates 3 and 4 uponopposite sides of a throat-plate 5. I Overhanging the cloth-plate is abracket-arm terminating i'n'ahead- 6 affording a journal for avertically re'ciprocatory needle-bar 7' carrying a needle'8. I a I Alsojournaled for vertical movements in the head 6 is a presser-bar 9 to thelower end of which is secured a p'resser-foot 1O preferably provided inits tread surface with a cord-clearance groove (not shown) extending inthe direction of scam formation in the-usual manner. Adjacent to thepresserfoot 10 is a feeding-foot 11-of the upper fourmotion type, sa'idpres'ser-foot' and feedingfoot being opposed to a lower four-motionfeed-dog .12 intermittently projected through Suitable slots in thethroat-plate 5. Any suitable looper or loop-taker mechanism may beemployed to cooperate with the needle beneath the throat-plate in theformation of stitches: I

The improved attachment, as shown inthe drawings, comprises an angularbracket 13 secured by screws, as 14, upon the cloth-plate 1 foradju-stment transversely of the line of seamformation. Rising from thebracket 13 in front of the needle is a turn-down edgefolding scroll 15for a body material, the

extent of'fold. being determined. by an edgeguide l6 having a lateralshank 17 suitably secured upon the bracket 13 for adjustment toward andfrom the scroll 15.

Fixed upon the bracket 13,.by screws as 18,- passing fromunderneathzsaid bracket throughapertures, as 19, therein, is acordguiding and -tensioning jaw-block 20, This Fig. 5 is an containingthework-turning portion of the scroll 15. Overlying the fixed jaw 23 isa movable jaw 24, pivotally supported upon the front side of the block20 bymeans of a stud-screw 25. The movable j a'w'2t is pro vided in itsunder face with a cord-groove 26 complemental to the cord-"groove'iae ofthe fixed jaw, said complemental grooves in the closed position of thejaws together defining a cord-aperture smaller than the diameter of theelastic-cord when relaxed thereby imposing a frictional drag upon saidcord and stretching it.

Secured upon: the. j aw-block by screws, as 27 is a work-supportingapron 28 of which the downwardly curved end 29 extends within the scroll15 and coacts therewith in the edge-folding of a body material supportedvides sufficient clearance to permit lateral insertion into or removalof the cord from the groove 22.

Extending from the tail of the movable jaw 24,is an upwardly curvedblade-spring 30 of which the rounded free .end bears against theunderside of the apron 28 and therefore, when permitted, yieldinglyactsto open the jaws 23, 24. However, the jaws are normally held in theirclosed, cord-gripping position by a jaw-extension: plate 31 suitablysecured upon the tail of the jaw 4. The un derside of the free end ofthe extension-plate 31 is slidingly engaged by the curved face 32 of acam-block 33, thereby lowering the grooved end of the jaw 24: intocord-gripping position. The cam-block 33 is'adjustably secured byscrews, as 34, upon an angular carrier-plate 35 suitably fixed upon oneend of a slide-bar 36. The slide-bar 36 is shiftable endwise in waysprovided in spaced guide-blocks, as 37, secured upon the dependingportion of the angle-bracket 13. Another angle-plate 38 secured upon theslide-bar 36 is pivotally connected by a screw 39 with a shift-lever 5L0provided with an elongated slot "41 entered by a fulcrum-pin 42 risingfrom the bracket 13. The angleplate 38. is notched to receive therounded end of a spring-latch 43 suitably secured upon the bracket 13,whereby the slide-bar is held by the yieldablelatch in aposition suchthat the cam-block 33 maintains the jaws23," 24 in their closed orcord-gripping position. By adjusting the cam-block 33, upon its carrierplate, toward-"and from. the fulcrum; of

the drawings, the edge-fold being secured by line of stitches s in theoperation of insertingthe cord within the edge-fold. The elastic cord 0is stretched by the frictional action'of the cord-guiding jaws as thework is advanced .past the stitch-forming mechanism. Beyond the feedingmechanism, the

stretchedcord is permitted tofrelax, thereby shirring the folded marginof the body material.

Having thus set forth the nature ofthe invention, what I claim hereinis:

1. A sewing machine attachment having cord-guide comprising separablejaws in their closed position together defining a cordreceivingaperture, means for holding said jaws in their closed position, manuallycontrolled means for opening said jaws, and an edgeefolder disposed tofold the margin of a body. material about a cord passed between saidjaws. j 2

2. A sewing machine attachment having a cord-guide comprising a fixedjaw provided with .a cord-guiding groove, a pivotally mounted jaw havinga cord-guiding groove complemental tothe groove of the fixed jaw, aspring yieldingly urging the pivotally mounted jaw. into jaw-openposition, means efiective against the action of said spring to urge thejaws into their closed position, manuallyzcontrolled means for releasingthe jaws from the j aw-closing means, and work-guiding means for formina bod *-material cock et to receive a cord passed between said jaws.

3. A sewing machine attachment having a turn-down edge-folder comprisingan edgefolding scroll and a work-supporting apron extending within saidscroll, and a cord-guide disposed within saidscroll com-prisingseparable jawsv frictionally bearing upon an elastic cord passedtherebetween, thereby stretching the elastic cord.

4. A sewing machine attachment having a. body material edge-folder, acord-guide comprising separable jaws disposed to direct an elastic-cordwithin the body-material edge-fold produced by said edge-folder, acam-member acting to closesaid jaws to frictionallyresist the passage ofand thereby stretch the elastic-cord, and adjustable means forregulating the pressure of the jaws upon said cord. .i V

5. A sewing machine attachment having a body-material edge-folder,acord-guide comprising separable jaws disposed to direct an elastic-cordwithinthe body-material edgefold produced by said edge-folder, a cam-'lily member acting to closesaid jaws to frictionally resist the passageof and thereby stretch the elastic-cord, adjustable means for regulatingthe pressure of the aws upon said cord, and means for releasing saidjaws from the effective action of said cam-member. V

6. A. sewing machine attachment having a turn-clown edge-foldercomprising an edgefolding scroll and a work-supporting apron extendingwithin said scroll, means for adjustably determining the width of thefold produced by said edge-folder, and a cordguide disposed within saidscroll comprising separable jaws frictionally bearing upon and therebystretching an elastic-cord passed between said jaws.

7. A sewing machineattachment comprising a base-plate provided with anedge-folding scroll, a cord-gnide carried by said base plate havingseparable jaws together defin- V inga cord-passageway disposed withinsaid scroll, and means for relatlvely movlng said jaws comprising acam-member, a slide-bar supported by said base-plate carrying saidcam-member, and manually operable means for shifting said slide-bar.

8. A sewing machine attachment comprising a base-plate provided with anedge-folding scroll, a cord-guide carried by said baseplate havingseparable jaws together defining a cord-passageway disposed within saidscroll, yielding means acting to relatively move said jaws in onedirection, a shiftable cam-member for relatively moving the jaws in adirection opposite to the action of said yielding means, and manuallyoperable means for shifting said cam-member into and out of itsoperative position.

9. A sewing machine attachment comprising a base-plate provided with aturn-down edge-folding scroll, a work-supporting apron extending withinsaid scroll, a'cord-guide having separable jaws together defining acord-passageway directing a cord within the scroll, means for openingsaid jaws to permit removal of a cord laterally from between said jaws,and means acting to close the aws to frictionally resist the passage ofan elasticcord and thereby stretch said cord.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RUDOLPH J. SAILER.

